Amyl And The Sniffers - Knifey

  

All I ever wanted was to walk by the park

All I ever wanted was to walk by the river

  

  What better way to follow up The Chats than by featuring a song by an Australian band that's probably taken off even further into the stratosphere than that shed rocking trio.

  Amyl And The Sniffers (https://www.facebook.com/amylandthesniffers) are Amy Taylor (vocals), Bryce Wilson (drums), Declan Martens (guitar) & Fergus Romer (bass). They're from Melbourne and over the last few years they've become one of the punk scene's hottest tickets.

 

  And they've just released a new album titled Comfort To Me. You've hopefully already heard the 3 teaser tracks that have been drip fed to stoke up anticipation. You probably love the band's high octane sound, Amy's a great vocal point for the band. She's a Tasmanian devil in shorts and bikini top, she's high energy and is blessed with a powerful voice. The boys compliment her superbly and are better than ever this time around. 

  There's gonna be loads of proper reviews of the album, no doubt pretty much all full of praise and most saying the same things so I don't need to drone on. I'll just point you towards the music  :   

https://www.amylandthesniffers.com/ 

https://amylandthesniffers.bandcamp.com/album/comfort-to-me

  

  As I mentioned, the album is virtually non stop, high energy punk rock throughout but the song I'm featuring is one of the more restrained offerings. At least musically. Lyric wise it's one of the most powerful. It deals with the fear and vulnerability felt by women (although I suppose it could be a fear felt by anyone) who have to walk home alone, especially as it's getting dark and there's not really many other people around. This is Knifey... 

Amyl and the Sniffers - Got You

(photo : @lacay.o)

  I suppose there's always a danger when you seem to be the name on everyone's lips that you'll be hit by emperor's new clothes syndrome. I know there's plenty of people that have been gagging for an album by Melbourne's Amyl And The Sniffers and it's going to be difficult to live up to expectations but on the evidence of the song I'm featuring today, and the previous teaser releases from it (Monsoon Rock, Cup Of Destiny and Some Mutts (Can't Be Muzzled) ), the Self Titled debut album is going to blow long standing fans away and gain the band plenty of new ones. It's out on 24th May on Rough Trade, ATO Records and Flightless Records and you can pre order it here :     https://amylats.ffm.to/amylats

  There'll be 11 tracks on the album and if song titles like Gacked On Anger, GFY (Go Fuck Yourself) and Punisha don't whet your appetite then nothing will. The band have been busy touring to sell out crowds and gave us another taste of what to expect from the album in the form of an incendiary live version of Go Fuck Yourself  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaTys06uyNY

  Roll on May 24th!

  This song comes with a cool video that sees Amy treating the rest of the band mean. It's about those exciting first throes of love when you're starting a new relationship. It's called Got you...

Amyl and The Sniffers - Cup Of Destiny (Guest Review By Baldy)

 

  A song today that was released as a video 6 months ago, has gone down a storm whenever any of the Global Punk Network shows has played it and which came out a couple of weeks ago as the flip side of the Some Mutts (Can't Be Muzzled) 7". It is of course Cup Of Destiny by Amyl And The Sniffers and it's one of this year's best songs. So why the delay in getting it on here? To be honest, it's the same reason Some Mutts didn't get posted, I was asked if I was going to feature it but thought what's the point. You've all heard it, better writers than me have thrown multiple superlatives at it. I'm better off trying to post stuff you might not have heard yet. I'd already written about the band when posting 70's Street Munchies and front woman Amy had contributed a list of her Top 10 favourite songs (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2018/03/top-10-songs-chosen-by-amy-taylor-amyl.html) plus I'm sure I'd been told they were working on a new album. Better to wait for a song that hadn't been posted everywhere?

  But then their fellow Aussie, Baldy (Adam Mishkin), sent me a few paragraphs earlier today so that's what you're getting. If you are one of the few who's missed the new single, you can check it out here :  https://amylandthesniffers.bandcamp.com/album/some-mutts-cant-be-muzzled-cup-of-destiny  Is there an album on it's way? Things seem to have gone quiet on that front, the band have been busy touring the globe recently, fingers crossed they're finding time to record one. Anyway, enough of me and over to Baldy....


Founded in the city of Melbourne - Australia in 2016 in a shared house. Friends Amy Taylor (vocals), Bryce Wilson (drums) and Declan Martens (guitar) and a bit later Calum Newton formed the band and wrote the songs together. The name itself a tongue in cheek take on Amy's name and the fact that at least a couple of the boys were fans of amyl nitrate from time to time. Great name for a band influenced by punk if there ever was. There have been a bunch of different influences noted by other reviews, so I will go with the ones I can definitely hear. Definitely a large portion of Aussie pub rock with 70s style Aussie punk rock in the mix. Amy definitely plays with a hairstyle, and sometimes dress sense that harks back to the days of the "Melbourne Sharpie" look. From a 60's - 70's hybrid fashion of early mods - rockers and skinheads that was a sub culture on its own in Australia at the time. The hairstyle, very much like a feather cut. But the attitude, rest of the look and the music very much like Aussie pub rock and roll and retro 'Sharpie rock and roll" For example in the vein of Coloured Balls, and maybe even a little of Buster Brown? . Though heavily influenced by early Australian rock n roll. They still manage to slip a couple of musical spanners in the works, as in some newer influences you might not be able to immediately put your finger on. Not that it really matters, as the general flow and vibe of the band is good ol' down and dirty, beer stained and letting loose rock n roll. That anyone from a music expert to a casual listener can get into.
As far as Aussie punk goes, a new generation of Aussie punk, I think this lot really has what it takes to go the distance and provide something new with bite to the Australian rock n roll/punk rock hall of fame that has been LONG overdue.. Vibrancy! LIFE! Hard rockin kids that don't take themselves too seriously and aren't in love with their own ego's.. From what I can see, and read so far, seems to be the case..Fucking refreshing! Again they bring VIBRANCY and life to otherwise what might seem to be jaded and stale Australian underground scene in places.. I hope they keep on rockin and come to Perth one day, I would be there with bells on. For a new band, I give em 5 stars. And two thumbs up.

Cup Of Destiny...

Cup of Destiny 
I drank from the right glass 
I’m taking the right path 
But it is testing me 
I’ll have the last laugh 
Down at the work task 
They’ll get the best of me 

Cup of destiny 

Well you never really know it till it hits ya 
You see it in your face an old school picture 
You pour yourself one every night 
It doesn’t mean that your wrong or right 
Look at the bottle. Look at the glass. 
There is your future.There is your past. 
It all makes sense when you get some 
It doesn’t matter if you’re old and all done

Top 10 Songs Chosen By Amy Taylor (Amyl And The Sniffers)

 

  I think it's fair to say that one of the hottest new bands on the punk scene are Melbourne 4 piece Amyl And The Sniffers. I may be a little biased as I chose their song 70's Street Munchies as the Just Some Punk Songs' song of the year for 2017 but since then I've noticed numerous people who's judgement I trust on these things liberally tossing round all number of superlatives (for example only 3 days ago Prostitutes frontman Kevin McGovern declared that they were the best thing he's heard in a long time). You probably already know how great they are, but if you've missed them so far then head over to Bandcamp to check out their 2 eps....  https://amylandthesniffers.bandcamp.com/

  2018 will be the year they come to the attention of plenty more people, not only are they visiting England in May, they'll also be going over to the US. Plus, their new record is almost completed and is pencilled in for the summer. You can check for updates here : https://www.facebook.com/amylandthesniffers/

  As I like them so much I'm pretty chuffed to be able to share with you a Top 10 chosen by vocalist Amy Taylor. The eagle eyed amongst you may notice there's more than 10 songs but hell, it's Amy Taylor, she can choose as many as she wants!

"Tried to pick mostly local bands, it's in no order......"

 

1)  NASHO - Land Kills

 2)  THE DREGGS - Tunnel

 3)  C.O.F.F.I.N. - Above The Law

 4)  GRAVEYARD LUST - On Patrol

 5)  PARSNIP - Health

 6)  COLOURED BALLS - Devils Disciple

 7)  HANK WOOD AND THE HAMMERHEADS - It's Hard On The Streets

 8)  SCHOOL DAMAGE - Tall Poppies

 9)  AUSMUTEANTS - Freedom Of Choice

10)  MINI SKIRT - Security

11)  SHEER MAG - Need To Feel Your Love

12)  TOTAL CONTROL - Flesh War

Amyl and The Sniffers - 70's Street Munchies

 

  Amyl And The Sniffers are from St Kilda, Melbourne and despite only being together for around 18 months have already released a couple of very decent eps and are a band I'm excited to see how they progress.

  Their debut ep was Giddy Up and it features 4 tracks, my favourites being Mandalay and Stole My Push Bike. Ep2 is titled Big Attraction and came out last February. This time around there's 6 tracks and in my opinion it's a step up from the debut (good as that was). Both are name your price on Bandcamp so if you're a fan of female fronted punk that combines attitude, sexiness and fun then don't hesitate to check them out..... https://amylandthesniffers.bandcamp.com/

  The focal point of the band is frontwoman Amy Taylor but she's ably backed up by Dec Martens (guitar), Bryce Wilson (drums) and Fergus Romer (bass). Amy also features on a new video by Cosmic Psychos (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjC0pEl0kSE) and both bands will be gigging together in November (check dates here : https://www.facebook.com/amylandthesniffers/ .  Amyl And The Sniffers will also be supporting Foo Fighters and Weezer in Adelaide on January 23rd.

  On Tuesday's Just Some Punk Songs show, I played them and they went down a storm with the folk in the chatroom. They were just one of a number of hot new Australian punk bands on the show and if you want to have a listen it's saved here : https://www.mixcloud.com/mick-fletcher/just-some-punk-songs-190917/

  Not easy to pick a favourite song to highlight as Big Attraction contains a number of contenders for that honour but I'm going with 70's Street Munchies....